May 28, 2020
Education Dive – Shawna De La Rosa
“The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics on Tuesday released two new “Catalyzing Change” reports focused on identifying better policies and approaches to equitably teaching mathematics in early childhood as well as elementary and middle school math. The reports highlight studies showing how a student’s grasp of math at age 5 predicts later success — not only in math, but also in other academic areas.” (more)
May 28, 2020
The Hechinger Report – Jackie Mader
“For parents of young children who are still trudging along with homeschooling, the early years pose some of the most flummoxing challenges: Many children are trying to learn to read basic words and write simple sentences, yet they aren’t old enough to work independently. Social media is full of stories of parents-turned-teachers who are over it, sharing stories of hours spent trying to get their kids to write a few sentences or follow a packed daily assignment schedule.” (more)
May 28, 2020
Moms – Diane Mtetwa
“When my daughter was just turning 2 a friend of mine sent a parenting book recommendation to me. The book was called “The Gift of Failure” by Jessica Lahey. She told me that while the lessons may be intended for older children, it was a great book for every parent to read. I kept her disclaimer in my head but started reading the book despite my daughter’s young age.” (more)
May 28, 2020
Medical X-Press – Molly Rosbach
“Recess is a crucial time for kids to engage in physical activity, as well as practice their social and emotional regulation skills. And it’s going to be an integral part of allowing kids to recover from the stress and even trauma wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic.” (more)
May 28, 2020
District Administration – Matt Zalaznick
“An average fifth-grade classroom at the beginning of a school year includes students who have mastered eighth-grade content or higher, and others who have just reached a third-grade level. Researchers are now concerned that school closures and the challenges of online learning could widen this skills gap and require new solutions from teachers in the fall, according to a new report from NWEA, the nonprofit assessment company.” (more)
May 28, 2020
The 74 Million – Dr. Prateek Dutta
“Last week, two events that seemed to have little to do with each other made headline news. Actress Lori Loughlin and her husband pleaded guilty to bribing officials in order to get their children admitted into a selective university in what many now know as the “#VarsityBlues” scandal. The day before, the University of California Board of Regents unanimously voted to suspend SAT and ACT requirements through 2024 and eliminate both tests entirely by 2025.” (more)
May 27, 2020
Edutopia – Laurel Schwartz
“Task-based language teaching, the practice of learning through student-centered meaningful tasks, makes a target language come alive for students both in and outside the classroom. Using audio and visuals in any literacy classroom is important, particularly when working with English language learners, and research from the National Reading Technical Assistance Center shows that students learn target language vocabulary more effectively when they engage with it in a variety of ways.” (more)
May 27, 2020
The Conversation – Mandie Shean
“As COVID-19 lockdown measures are lifted, some children may experience social anxiety about the prospect of returning to school. People with social anxiety may fear embarrassment or the expectation to perform in social situations, or worry exceedingly about people judging you poorly. In certain situations, people with anxiety may find their heart beats quicker as adrenalin is released into their blood stream, more oxygen flows to the blood and brain, and even digestion may slow down.” (more)
May 27, 2020
The 74 Million – Julia Freeland Fisher and Amy Anderson
“In the era of COVID-19, all families must navigate a frustrating set of tradeoffs, figuring out child care, protecting their health and keeping their kids connected and entertained. That burden — like most things during the pandemic — is even greater for low-income families. Summer options have never come equally: In one analysis of Colorado’s Blueprint4SummerCO platform, for example, researchers at the Center on Reinventing Public Education found fewer enrichment opportunities available in neighborhoods where lower-income, black and Hispanic children lived.” (more)
May 27, 2020
KQED News Mind/Shift – Kara Newhouse
“At first, the provenance of the math problems was a mystery. The chalky, pastel words, numbers and symbols appeared on sidewalks near a small park in San Diego not long after the COVID-19 shutdown began. Families taking walks paused to ponder the patterns. They discussed possible solutions. They took photos to share with others. Within a few days, teacher Traci Jackson, who lives a few blocks away, started receiving messages from friends and neighbors. “Is that you leaving math everywhere?” they asked. Jackson’s secret was out, but her public math mission wasn’t over.” (more)
